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SysNL - The System NodeList utility (C) 1988, 1989, 1990 Constellation Software "The fastest nodelist utility on the planet, period." Created and written by Luke Kolin C difference merger originally written by Jim Nikolich Documentation written by Jim Nikolich Requires a minimum of 128K of RAM for nodelist compiler Requires up to 640K of RAM for nodelist editor CRC table courtesy of Stephen Satchell and Chuck Forsberg CRC calculation algorithm courtesy of Ben Baker Unix date function courtesy of Jim Colligan Crunched ANSI extraction algorithm courtesy of Ian Davis SEAdog v4.51 data types courtesy of Thom Henderson TBBS/SEAdog sort information courtesy of Thom Henderson and Phil Buonomo SEAdog is a trademark of System Enhancement Associates Xlatlist is a trademark of System Enhancement Associates Qsort is a program written by Ben Baker v3.14 Documentation file == NOTE: This program was written in Turbo Pascal v5.50 with PC-DOS v3.30 on a 1024K, 20MHz AT clone. No guarantees are offered as to the operation of this program on any other computer system. This program is dedicated to <CENSORED>, whose perpetual optimism helped make SysNL possible. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 2 <<<=== T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ...................................... 3 COMMAND-LINE OPTIONS ..................................... 4 Build ................................................ 4 Compile .............................................. 5 Crc .................................................. 6 Edit ................................................. 6 Editing keys ..................................... 6 Error Checking ................................... 8 Make ................................................. 8 Prune ................................................ 9 THE CONTROL FILE (Verbs) ................................ 10 AddAll .............................................. 10 Address ............................................. 10 AddToll ............................................. 10 Cleanup ............................................. 10 Flush ............................................... 10 KillARC ............................................. 11 MaxBaud ............................................. 11 Merge ............................................... 11 Mode ................................................ 11 MyList .............................................. 12 NetFile ............................................. 12 NetMail ............................................. 12 NoDupes ............................................. 12 NoIncld ............................................. 12 NoSnow .............................................. 12 PntNet .............................................. 12 PubList ............................................. 13 PvtList ............................................. 13 Quick ............................................... 13 SendTo .............................................. 13 Title ............................................... 13 Version ............................................. 14 Video................................................ 14 THE CONTROL FILE (Tables) ............................... 15 Dial ................................................ 15 Distrib ............................................. 15 Include ............................................. 16 Modem ............................................... 16 Noderec ............................................. 17 Prune ............................................... 17 NODELIST FLAGS .......................................... 18 REVISION HISTORY ........................................ 19 v1.00 - v1.72 ....................................... 19 v1.73 - v2.30 ....................................... 20 v2.31 - v2.61 ....................................... 21 v2.62 - v3.11 ....................................... 22 v3.12 - v3.14 ....................................... 23 MISCELLANEOUS ........................................... 24 Odds 'n' Ends ....................................... 24 The Credit Page ..................................... 25 ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 3 <<<=== PROGRAM DESCRIPTION SysNL is a full-featured nodelist merger, compiler, pruner, editor, checker and verifier. It can turn the standard nodelist/nodediff you receive from your Host/Hub into lists compatible with such software as Fido, Opus, Binkley and QuickBBS. As well, it can pre-process your lists for you before you compile them for such packages as D'Bridge or FrontDoor. If you are a person who has to edit your own nodelist segment, SysNL can let you do that using a colourful, fully error-checking full- screen editor, without having any knowledge of the format of the list. For the licensing agreement, please see CONSOFT.DOC, part of the SysNL distribution package. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 4 <<<=== COMMAND-LINE OPTIONS Option: BUILD This takes a semi-compiled nodelist file called NODELIST.BBS and turns it into a Version 5, Version 6, QuickBBS 2.0x or SEAdog 4.5x nodelist file. This allows you to use another nodelist preprocessor, such as Xlatlist<tm> (although I fail to see why you'd want to), while at the same time gaining SysNL's high level of speed in nodelist compilation. For this option to work, NODELIST.BBS must be in the current directory. Also, if a Version 6 nodelist is desired NODELIST.FON must also be present. This file can be generated by most nodelist compilers, including SysNL. To compile a SEAdog 4.5x nodelist, QSORT.EXE must exist somewhere in the DOS path, as the INDEX.DOG file must be sorted. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL BUILD <6/5/Q/S> [K] ... where: 6 = Version 6 nodelist 5 = Version 5 nodelist Q = QuickBBS v2.0x nodelist S = SEAdog v4.5x nodelist (also used with TBBS) K, if used, deletes NODELIST.BBS and NODELIST.FON after processing. (note: you can use any combination of the above) Example: A> SysNL BUILD 56 K Builds Version 5 and Version 6 nodelists, and deletes NODELIST.FON and NODELIST.BBS after processing. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 5 <<<=== Option: COMPILE This option does one of two things: it can either take a St. Louis format nodelist file and turn it into an ascii-text nodelist such as NODELIST.BBS or NODELIST.FON, or it can turn it into any of the six nodelist types supported by SysNL. For both the SEAdog and the Sysop lists, QSORT.EXE must be present somewhere in the DOS path. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL COMPILE <6/5/B/N/Q/T/E/S/U> ... where: 6 = Version 6 nodelist (Binkley 1.50+, Opus v1.1x, Maximus 1.0) 5 = Version 5 nodelist (Binkley 1.00+, Opus 1.0x, Fido 11w) Q = QuickBBS nodelist (Binkley 1.50+, QuickBBS v2.0x) S = SEAdog nodelist (SEAdog 4.50, SEAdog 4.10, TBBS 2.x) E = Bink/TBBS nodelist (Binkley 1.50+ with SEAdog nodelist) U = Sysop Text listing (Ascii file - for use with editors) B = NODELIST.BBS file (Text - requires further processing) N = NODELIST.FON file (Text - requires further processing) T = NODELIST.TXT file (Text - for human reading) (note: you can use any combination of the above) Example: A> SysNL COMPILE 6S Compiles Version 6 and SEAdog nodelists. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 6 <<<=== Option: CRC When nodelists are published, they include a CRC value that SysNL can use to check the integrity of the entire file. This allows you to detect any damage that might have been inflicted upon the list. SysNL figures out the actual CRC of the file, and compares it with the "official" value. If the two correspond, then the list is valid and undamaged. If the two differ, then the list is damaged, and may cause unpredictable outputs to be generated. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL CRC <nodelist name> ... Example: A> SysNL CRC Nodelist.320 Checks NODELIST.320 for errors. Option: EDIT SysNL's edit mode is a full-screen St. Louis format nodelist editor. It takes all the hard work out of editing nodelists by presenting all the information to on the screen in an easy-to- read format. Both the NETMAIL and SENDTO verbs are required in the control file for this to operate. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL EDIT <.EDT file/nodelist> ... The ANSI screen driver is required if you set the video mode to ANSI in the control file. <see below> If no file extension is specified, then a SysNL-format .EDT file is assumed. This is just a plain nodelist segment with one important change: you can include other segments by listing their filenames one per line in the EDT file, preceded by a '$' sign. (example: $ANET-480.320) If no extention is specified, SysNL will use next Friday's day number. These include files are inserted exactly where they appear in the EDT file, so choose their place- ment with care. They are not EDT files in themselves, rather standard nodelist segments with a numeric extension. This is important: if no extention is specified, the extension will be updated every week automatically. EDITING KEYS R. ARROW : Advance to the next entry in the file(s). L. ARROW : Back up to the previous entry. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 7 <<<=== HOME : Go to the first entry in the list. END : Go to the last entry in the list. UP ARROW : Go to the beginning of the current net. DOWN ARROW : Go to the beginning of the next net. PAGE UP : Go the the first entry in an include file. If you are already at the first entry, go to the last entry in the previous include file. PAGE DOWN : Go the the last entry in an include file. If you are already at the last entry, go to the first entry in the next include file. N : Create a new blank entry right after the current one. Added to the same file as the previous entry. @ : Delete the current entry. WARNING: THERE'S NO UNDELETE OPTION! M : Move this entry right after the one prompted for. 1 : Change the attribute. All valid flags are supported. If marked PVT, then the phone number defaults to "-Unpublished-". 2 : Edit the node number. If a Zone/Region/Network number, then edit that Zone/Region/Network number. 3 : Sets the system or net/region/zone name. 4 : Sets the city and state. 5 : Sets the Sysop's name. 6 : Sets the phone number. Please use complete numbers. 7 : Sets the mail tags. As tags vary from network to net- work and new tags are constantly introduced, it is up to YOU to understand what these tags mean. <see "NODELIST FLAGS" below> 8 : Sets the baud rate. S : Save any changes made. C : Compile an update file, and send to your update node. Available only if you specify an update node with the SENDTO verb <see below> in the control file. D : Compile an update file, and send to all nodes listed in the distribution file specified by the DISTRIB table <see below>. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 8 <<<=== L : Go to the next entry with an error (if any). R : Redraw the screen. L : Search for / correct any errors in the entire list. F : Find the entry with the information you specify, based on the search key you choose. If no matching entry is found, SysNL will simply stop at the last entry in the list. If no network number is given, the net of the current entry is assumed. Q : Quit SysNL. If changes have been made, SysNL will ask if you wish to save first. LINK / REPROCESS ERRORS When the ErrorCheck command is used, SysNL will check the entire file for errors. It is capable of detecting and flagging the following kinds of errors: - Bad baud rate - Bad phone number - Invalid node prefix - Hubs / Private nodes as independents - Unexpected end of nodelist entry - Duplicate node numbers Option: MAKE Similar to the EDIT option, MAKE bypasses the editing functions and simply generates an update file, performing full error-checking as it runs <see "LINK / REPROCESS ERRORS" above>. As well, MAKE can process header and footer files and add them to the update file it creates. If encountered, the string "####" is translated to the current year. If the following files are found, SysNL will include them in this order: CPYRIGHT.TXT PROLOG.TXT nodelist body EPILOG.TXT Like EDIT, it requires both the NETMAIL and SENDTO verbs in the control file. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL MAKE <.EDT file> <C/D> ... where <.EDT file> has the same syntax as with EDIT. A C as the third paramater tells SysNL to send the list to the address specified with the SENDTO verb, D sends it to all the nodes in the DISTRIB table. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 9 <<<=== Option: PRUNE This allows you to strip (or keep) specified nets, regions or zones in your St. Louis style nodelist. The syntax is as follows: A> SysNL PRUNE <nodelist> <K/R> [<zone:net> ...] where: <nodelist> is the filename of the nodelist. K tells SysNL to keep only the specified nets. R tells SysNL to remove only the specified nets. <zone:net> may be <zone:ALL>, if desired. if <zone:net> is omitted, then the PRUNE table <see below> in the control file is used to list the nets to be treated. Note: Specifying a zone:region will not result in all the nets in that region being treated; Only the independents will be dealt with. Examples: SysNL PRUNE Imexlist R 7:all (removes all nets in zone 7.) SysNL PRUNE Nodelist K 1:1 1:250 (keeps all independents and net 250 in zone 1.) SysNL PRUNE Egglist K (keeps all nets listed in the PRUNE table) ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 10 <<<=== THE CONTROL FILE (Verbs) The following verbs control how SysNL will operate in it's various modes. They may be listed in any order (except for the ADDRESS verb, which must appear before all others), and except where otherwise specified, may contain spaces in between arguments. A semicolon (;) is interpreted as the beginning of a comment - the rest of the line is ignored. Verb: ADDALL <string> This adds the specified string before all phone numbers. This is for such purposes as dialing to an outside line with older office switching equipment. Example: ADDALL 9- Verb: ADDRESS <z:net/node> This is your full netmail address. If no zone is specified, then zone 1 will be the default. Example: ADDRESS 89:480/210 Verb: ADDTOLL <string> This adds the specified string to the phone number of any toll call, overseas or North American. This is for use with Sprint or MCI, which requires a special number to be dialed for a toll call. Example: ADDTOLL 1-2345-67- Verb: CLEANUP Used in conjunction with MERGE <see below>, this command tells SysNL to delete the old lists and difference files after they have been merged, leaving only a new list file. Example: CLEANUP Verb: FLUSH This tells SysNL how many networks to load into memory at a time in MAKE mode. This is also intended for future use in EDIT mode, as well. This should be set to between 8 and 16. Example: FLUSH 10 ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 11 <<<=== Verb: KILLARC This directs SysNL to delete any archived inbound list and difference files it processes in the file area defined by the verb NETFILE <see below>. SysNL can automatically detect lists and diffs, and can extract files compressed with the popular ARC, ZIP, ZOO, and LZH compression methods. Example: KILLARC Verb: MAXBAUD <xxxx> This is the maximum baud rate of your modem. Any baud rates higher than this will be lowered to this value. HSTs, PEPs, and other high-speed modems should have it set to 9600. Example: MAXBAUD 2400 Verb: MERGE When in Compile mode, this verb tells SysNL to search for Difference files, and if it finds any, merge them with the respective List file. Afterwards, the new list will be compiled. Example: MERGE Verb: MODE <SEAdog/Opus> When compiling a NodeList.Bbs, SysNL can either compile it in a format suitable for SEAdog v4.5x systems, or one for Opus and any other system types. SEAdog mode tells SysNL to add sysop names at the end of each line in NodeList.Bbs and to change all Zone entries to Region entries. As well, any sysop listing that is created in Opus mode will be called FIDOUSER.LST, in SEAdog mode it is called USERLIST.DOG. Examples: MODE Opus MODE SEAdog Verb: MYLIST <list> <diff> [<domain>] MYLIST <list> <NO_DIFF> <domain> Has the same effect as PUBLIST, included for compatibility with other programs. Example: MYLIST Egglist Eggdiff ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 12 <<<=== Verb: NETFILE <path> This is the path to your inbound file area. if you specify this verb, SysNL will automatically look for archived list and difference files here while in COMPILE mode. See also the "PATCH option". Example: NETFILE c:\netmail\files Verb: NETMAIL <path> This gives the path to your netmail area. Used by EDIT and MAKE modes to send file-attaches for updates in the form of a message. Example: NETMAIL c:\netmail\message Verb: NODUPES When a sysop listing (FidoUser.Lst or UserList.Dog) is made, this verb will tell SysNL to remove any duplicate sysop names that it finds after sorting. For example, Joe Sysop may have addresses 123/45 and 123/21, and will therefore show up twice. SysNL will with this verb keep only the 1st of his two entries, namely 123/45. Note: This option only works if SysNL and Qsort can sort the sysop listing. Example: NODUPES Verb: NOINCLD In EDIT or MAKE modes, this tells SysNL to ignore any in- clude file entries it finds. This can be used either to com- pile only the main portion of a network/region list, or if no include files are to be processed anyways, this verb will re-allocate memory previously set aside for the include file buffers. Example: NOINCLD Verb: NOSNOW If the VIDEO verb <see below> is set to DIRECT, "snow" may appear on older CGA cards. SysNL usually will not check for this when it writes to the screen in EDIT and COMPILE modes. Use this verb to prevent snow from occurring during screen writes, if it happens with your video card. Note: If you are using an EGA or a VGA card, you do not need this verb, and it may actually slow you down. Example: NOSNOW ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 13 <<<=== Verb: PUBLIST <list> <diff> [<domain>] PUBLIST <list> <NO_DIFF> [<domain>] This specifies the names of the nodelist and difference files you wish to include when compiling. You may have as many PUBLIST statements as you require; SysNL will compile them in the order listed. The optional domain name tells SysNL the domain name of all nodes in this list, which can be used when compiling a sysop listing. To provide only a list name with no difference name, use "<NO_DIFF>" for the difference file name. Examples: PUBLIST Nodelist Nodediff FidoNet PUBLIST Imexlist Imexdiff PUBLIST NoDiffList <NO_DIFF> NoDiffDomain Verb: PVTLIST <list> <diff> [<domain>] PVTLIST <list <NO_DIFF> [<domain>] Has the same effect as PUBLIST, included for compatibility with other programs. Example: PVTLIST Egglist Eggdiff Verb: SENDTO <zone:net/node> Used during EDIT and MAKE modes, this verb names the address to send nodelist updates to. If no zone is given, it defaults to your own zone. See also the DISTRIB table. Example: SENDTO 1:12/0 Verb: TITLE <list name> When generating an update in EDIT or MAKE modes, SysNL can either put the default name in the first line of the update file, or it can use the one specified here. The default is the version name and type of nodelist, being one of "Host", "Region" or "Zone". This information is taken from the first entry in the nodelist. If a nodelist name is more than one word long, use the Underline (ASCII 95dec) instead of spaces. Example: TITLE Name_of_list Verb: QUICK This verb causes SysNL to automatically stop the compilation process once it has processed every net in your zone, as well as all of the nets you've listed in the INCLUDE table <see below>. Example: QUICK ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 14 <<<=== Verb: VERSION <xx> Indicates the Control File version. Older version of SysNL have this set to the version number of the EXE file. With 3.14, this is set to 18. If SysNL does not recognize the version number, errors may occur when reading the control file. SysNL/Setup will not process a control file version of 17 or below. Example: VERSION 14 Verb: VIDEO This specifies the video mode to be used in COMPILE and EDIT modes. It can be any of the following: MONO - no colours are displayed. ANSI - colours are displayed using ANSI.SYS. DIRECT - IBM colour commands and direct writes. Example: VIDEO ansi ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 15 <<<=== THE CONTROL FILE (Tables) As well as the verbs listed above, SysNL has several tables in its control file language. They are listed below. The key word given is the command that starts the table, and is followed by the format of each entry within the table. All tables end with the string END. Table: DIAL Format: <[<substring>]/ <addstring>/ <cost> OR: [<substring>]/ */ <cost> Max: 512 entries This table replaces the COSTS and XCHANGE tables of 3.0x and below, and is intended to provide a truly international capacity to SysNL. Line by line, the phone number in current list being processed is checked against the left- most entry on each line in the DIAL table. (The terminating /'s in the table allow for blank entries.) If a match is found, the second string is then used as the phone number, and the cost for that entry is set to the right-most value. If the string to add is the */, then SysNL assumes that you don't wish to change the phone number; only the cost entry is set. Examples: DIAL 1-416-336-/ 1-/ 5 1-416-/ / 0 1-203-/ */ 25 1-/ */ 40 / 011-/ 200 If one number in the nodelist is "1-416-483-0566", then the first entry in the DIAL table doesn't match. The second one does, so the "1-416-" is stripped, changing the phone number to 483-0566. The cost is set at 0. (One way of stripping toll costs from local costs within your area code.) If another number is "1-203-456-7890" then the first two entries in the DIAL fail to match. The third one does but the */ is present, so the number remains unchanged. Only the cost is changed, being set at 25 cents. (Setting the cost for a particular area code.) If a third number is "1-519-754-2452", the first three entries will fail to match. The fourth matches, however the number again remains unchanged. The cost is set at 40 cents. (Setting the cost for all numbers within one country's calling code.) ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 16 <<<=== If the last number is "44-146-15464", then it would match none of the first four entries in the DIAL table. However the fifth entry, being a blank entry, is intended to match all numbers. Listing it at the end of the table provides a method of picking all numbers not matching any prior criteria. In this case "011-" is added to the phone number and the cost is set to 200, or $2.00. NOTE: the '/' entry in the table must appear as the last entry, otherwise it'd lock out all others. Table: DISTRIB Format: <zone:net/node> [<sysop name>] Max: 48 entries This is a destination file for the SysNL editor. The editor has a small built-in robot mailer that allows you to send your update file to many different systems. This is generall only used if you are a ZC, or someone who creates a master nodelist file of an entire network. Sysop names can be more than one word long, but words must be separated with an underscore (ASCII 95), rather than a space. Example: DISTRIB 1:250/99 Luke_Kolin 1:247/201 James_Mackay 1:234/567 Monster_Raving_Loony_Cavern_Rock END Table: INCLUDE Format: <zone:net> or <zone:ALL> Max: 255 entries By default SysNL will compile only those nets present in your own zone. Thus, if your address is 1:250/987, all nets in Zone 1 would be processed, but 2:220/987 wouldn't, being outside of your zone. You can list in your INCLUDE table additional nets/regions in other zones to be included in compilation. Using ALL as the <net> will include all nets within that zone. This command is much like the "ozone" statement in Xlatlist. Nets 1:1, 2:2 etc will automatically be included in any compiled list unless the QUICK verb <see above> is specified. Note: specifying a region as <net> will not automatically include all the nets in that region - only the independent nodes in that region. Example: INCLUDE 1:12 ;Include INDEPENDENTS in Region 1:12 89:480 ;Include all of Net 89:480 END Table: MODEM Format: <Modem Tag> [<S45 tag>]<Version 6 value> Max: 96 entries This table allows you to define in the nodelist the type of modem a given system uses. This will also work for file request tags, Crashmail tags and basically any other information given after the baud rate. the <Modem Tag> is any given substring you want to look for after the baud rate. The optional <S45 tag> is the tag used when compiling a SEAdog v4.5x nodelist. Immediately afterwards is the value to be added to the "flags" field in a Version 6 nodelist. If you are compiling only a SEAdog list, and don't require a Version 6 flag use 0. Example: MODEM PEP P2 END ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 17 <<<=== Table: NODEREC Format: <[z:]net/node> <B/C/N/P/O> [<value>] Max: 255 entries This table lets you reset certain attributes for a node. First you give the network address, followed by ANY ONE of the following Tags: B = Baud Rate C = Crashmail tag N = Phone Number P = Password (QuickBBS, Version 6, Binkley) O = Ogate flag (SEAdog) The baud rate can be any one of: 300, 1200, 2400 or 9600. The Crashmail tag is either "Y" for on, or "N" for off. the Password must be less than nine characters long. The Ogate flag requires no options. Example: NODEREC 1:250/640 P shloom 1:250/800 C Y END Table: PRUNE Format: <zone:net> or <zone:all> Max: 255 entries This the exact format as the INCLUDE table <see above>. If no nets/regions are specified on the command line when you use the PRUNE OPTION, SysNL will look in this table for the nets/zones to remove or keep in the pruned nodelist. Example: PRUNE 3:712 1:ALL END ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 18 <<<=== NODELIST FLAGS (As of March 1st, 1990) The following is a list of valid nodelist flags, where they are used, and what they mean. CM: (All) This node can accept netmail 24 hours a day. MO: (All) This node does not accept human callers. XA: (All) This node accepts Bark and WaZOO file / update requests. Supported by BinkleyTerm >v2.1, D'Bridge <v1.3 and FrontDoor <v1.99b. XW: (All) This node accepts WaZOO file requests only. Used by Opus v1.0x. XX: (All) This node accepts WaZOO file / update requests only. Used by D'Bridge v1.30 and Frontdoor v1.99b. XP: (All) This node supports Bark file / update requests only, and uses SEAdog 4.xx. XB: (All) This node supports WaZOO file / update requests, and Bark requests only. Used by BinkleyTerm <v2.1. $$: (All, mostly outside North America) Fee required. L1: (All) Users have limited access on their first call. ISA: (AlterNet USA) I.S.A. registration number. Non-registered nodes have a P as the first character, with the last 4 being the julian day number dead- line for registration. U: (Fidonet) User information, generally used to identify NEC's, SDS systems, and hubs. G: (Fidonet) Denotes a gateway to another network. HST: (All) This node uses a high-speed modem with USR's HST format. PEP: (All) This node uses a high-speed modem with Telebit's PEP format. MNP: (All) Modem supports Microcom error correcting protocol level 5. V32: (All) High speed modem supports CCITT V32 9600bps standard. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 19 <<<=== SysNL REVISION HISTORY v1.00 - The ADD, MERGE, and PRUNE options. (Original Release) v1.10 - The OPUSNODE option was added. v1.20 - The QBBS option was added. v1.21 - SEAdog Zone translation for QBBS option. v1.40 - NEWOPUS option was added. OPUSNODE and NEWOPUS write in 2K clusters, resulting in a 50% speed increase. RAM needs raised to 64K. The ADD option is rewritten with color. v1.41 - I changed my node numbers. v1.42 - Zone reports in the QBBS option. Bad Option checking on command line made stricter. v1.50 - A major speed increase in NEWOPUS using 32K disk write buffers, and 12K (up from 4K) disk read buffers. Node- list.Idx writes fixed. QBBS has also been sped up with a 2K index write buffer. 32 input files in MERGE now supported. In OPUSNODE, a bug preventing the resetting of the string fields (name, number, and city) has been fixed. Memory needs raised to 96K. QBBS renamed QNODE. NEWOPUS renamed NEWNODE. v1.51 - NEWNODE had a small index file bug. Now fixed. v1.52 - MERGE option made better. It now supports up to 48 in- put files. The DOS command line is too short, so input and output destination list files are supported. v1.60 - Mostly internal changes. New Pascal I/O library made, and faster graphics routines. QNODE Zone translation improved. v1.61 - QNODE index buffer sped up. v1.70 - The DIFF option added to compile difference files. To save RAM, NEWNODE buffer reduced to 24K. DIFF buffer set to 24K as well. v1.71 - Crude dynamic memory use introduced in disk buffers. Disk buffer in NEWNODE increased to 32K, input buffer for DIFF added. v1.72 - Rewritten in Turbo Pascal version 5 for smaller file size and faster execution. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 20 <<<=== SysNL REVISION HISTORY (continued) v1.73 - Went code crunching. Saved 2K in exe file. Large speed increase in OPUSNODE using low-level disk writes and a 27K buffer. QNODE sped up as well, with low-level I/O there too. QNODE zone detection improved again. WaZOO support in ADD mode. v1.74 - Serious bugs fixed in OPUSNODE and QNODE. QNODE sped up even more. v1.75 - Bug fixed in PRUNE. v2.00 - COMPILE option added. Allows Version 6 nodelist from St. Louis format nodelist files. MERGE now supports 64 input files. Fixed a buffer flush bug at the end of NEWNODE. v2.01 - The "phone" statement was added. More flexibility in the command structure. Small network number bug in COMPILE mode fixed. v2.10 - Massive speed increases in all nodelist compilation modes. SysNL now loads 256 input lines at a time into RAM. St. Louis comment stripping in COMPILE. Supports Xlatlist<tm> v2.90+'s "extended" NodeList.Bbs sysop name information. v2.11 - Added the ability to merge diffs (if found) in COMPILE mode. v2.12 - Changed record format of the first record in Version 5 and Version 6 lists for greater conformity with other nodelist compilers. Change in diff compilation message in COMPILE mode. Aesthetic changes only. v2.14 - Added support for the "modem type" field in Version 6 lists. Touched up the docs a bit. Changed the license agreement. v2.20 - Fixed up COMPILE mode. One can now create any combina- tion of Version 6, Version 5, and Nodelist.Bbs from a St. Louis style nodelist. Changed the control file language to make it easier to understand. v2.21 - Full comments in the control file. Version number in control file for old version detection. QNODE fixed. Code crunched by 5K. Support for Igate and Ogate nodes in COMPILE mode. Pvt node bug fixed in NodeList.Bbs. Maximum baud rate support. Bug fix in "phone" table. QuickBBS support in COMPILE mode. v2.22 - Changed license agreement. v2.30 - Now supports creation of NodeList.Fon, and flexible control files from previous versions. Primitive inter- national capability. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 21 <<<=== SysNL REVISION HISTORY (continued) v2.31 - Removed ADD, MERGE, and PRUNE options for smaller exe file size. Sped up disk I/O. Fixed old control file version bug. v2.32 - Speed fix in COMPILE. Better ozone screening. Crunched exe file size by 3K. Automatic empty output file deletion. All around bug fixes. v2.33 - Fixed up the way toll exchanges are processed for big area codes and CRC check support in DIFF mode. Code crunched. International bug fixed. v2.40 - A major change from v2.33. The ADD option returns, in a fully visual format, and the SysCRC program is added as the CRC option. A bug reading the nodelist header has been fixed, and headers of 16K (8K before) are now supported. 32-bit and 16-bit function calls have been replaced by inline code, resulting in a small speed increase. The DIFF option has been removed, and will reappear in version 2.60. v2.41 - Fixed another header bug. 8K headers again. Fixed bug appending Nodelist.Bbs/Fon files. Reset the include pointer to get "ozone" working again. A logic error caused SysNL to close end in COMPILE mode prematurely. v2.42 - Fixed a major index file bug for Versions 5 and 6 when appending to an existing list. Nodelist appending has error checking. If a list to append to isn't found, it is created. v2.43 - Fixed up EDIT mode's linking routine. G)oto command in EDIT mode added. Sped up option code in COMPILE. v2.50 - EDIT option include files added. Straight compilation added in EDIT mode. v2.51 - Major control file update. Verbs renamed, and tables can be in any order, as well as have multiple copies. CRT control is now hardware independent, using ANSI and DOS. Compile command added in EDIT mode. Searches for control file using the DOS environment variables SYSNL and PATH. v2.52 - A small bug in zone-awareness with EDIT. v2.53 - EDIT mode finally allows an infinitely large nodelist. Include file command will look for .EDT files as well as updates. v2.60 - The old DIFF mode returns as MERGE. "Quick" compiling added to COMPILE mode. Cut down memory needs by 96K. Increased size of CRC buffer by 4K. v2.61 - General code speedup. Fixed large bugs in BUILD mode. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 22 <<<=== SysNL REVISION HISTORY (continued) v2.62 - No longer processes entire nets it will not include. QuickBBS list intialization bug fix. Speedup of phone number code. v2.63 - Massive speed increases in BUILD and COMPILE modes. Fixed bugs in BUILD mode. v2.64 - Fixed bugs in COMPILE and BUILD input buffers. Sped up saving and compilation in EDIT mode. Fixed MERGE bugs. Changed the format of the "phone" table. Supports Zone 4 ZMH. Re-wrote CRT routines in assembler. Added modem type table. v2.65 - A EXE file bug was found that prevented SysNL from loading correctly. v3.00 - The MAKE option was added. Full error-checking in EDIT and MAKE modes. EDIT mode loading/saving sped up. Huge speed increases in BUILD & COMPILE modes. ASM code use increased. Bug fixed in NodeList.Fon compilation. Docs rewritten and editted. MERGE mode removed. Fixed 26K limit in EDIT and MAKE mode output. New control file Version 14 format. v3.01 - An error in the EXE file did not change "PHONE" verb to "NODEREC". v3.02 - More private/point nodelist support. ASM code sped up. COMPILE mode sped up. QuickBBS record size bug fixed. Sped up nodelist merging, now done all at once, before any compilation. TBBS v2.0 list format removed. PRUNE option added. Several new verbs added, forming Version 15 control file. Sysop directory support added. v3.10 - Fixed index problems in SEAdog list. DIAL table added. PATCH mode added. Fixed userlist problems. Fixed find command in editor. Automatic extraction of compressed nodelists and difference files. Mail robot added to editor. v3.11 - End of year bug fix. Leading zero extention fix. ASM core use increased. PRUNE table in COMPILE mode error fixed. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 23 <<<=== SysNL REVISION HISTORY (continued) v3.12 - True dynamic RAM memory manager, now uses as much free RAM as it can find for all modes. Bug fixes in PRUNE and MERGE modes. More sophisticated compression method detection. Documentation rewrite. EDIT mode rewritten. Editor help screen added. SysNL/Setup added for crea- ting and maintaining configuration file. v3.14 - Bugs fixed in CRC and PRUNE modes. SysNL/Setup program re-organized and compressed. Small compiler speed in- crease. MAKE mode now allows an infinitely large node- list. Editor functions sped up. ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 24 <<<=== MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION SysNL is designed to be faster than any other nodelist utility, regardless of what CPU you run it under. However, certain parts of its code is optimised (but not restricted) to the faster 80286 and 80386 processors found in most computers. In other cases, it will substitute different code for different processors, in order to gain the maximum benefit from the faster chips which are be- coming more and more common these days. For support of SysNL and other fine Constellation Software pro- ducts, you can contact us at one of the following three E-Mail addresses, depening on your FTSC-compatible network. FidoNet: 1:250/714 Imex: 89:480/210 ===>>> SysNL v3.14 Documentation File Page 25 <<<=== CREDIT, WHERE CREDIT IS DUE Constellation Software would like to acknowledge the time of the following, without whom this program would not be what it is today. (* = Beta testers, ^ = Gamma testers): Bruce Anderson, 1:342/106, Ft. McMurry AB, Canada Nigel Allen, 1:250/438, Toronto ON, Canada Dan Armstrong, 1:250/520, North York ON, Canada Rick Ashworth, 1:108/90, Erlanger KY, U.S.A. Ben Baker, 7:44/76, S. Roxana IL, U.S.A. Ian Bonnycastle, 99:100/1, Toronto ON, Canada * Phil Buonomo, 7:520/538, Lyndhurst NJ, U.S.A. Mike Carr, 1:12/700, Don Mills ON, Canada ^ Phillip Catt, 1:250/401, Toronto ON, Canada Chuck Corvec, 89:485/1, Withby ON, Canada John Dunn, 89:82/60, Ajax ON, Canada Dan Geatens, 1:273/301, Honeybrook PA, U.S.A. Chris Goff, 1:120/139, Detroit MI, U.S.A. Tom Hall, 1:342/6, Edmonton AL, Canada Bob Hartman, 1:132/101, Nashua NH, U.S.A. Thom Henderson, 7:520/1015, Passiac NJ, U.S.A. * Jesse Hollington, 1:225/1, North Bay ON, Canada Chris Irwin, 1:18/68, Miami FL, U.S.A. Colin Lean, 3:712/506, Stanmore NSW, Australia * Renald Loignon, 1:167/176, Brossard PQ, Canada Larry Marshall, 1:240/2, Quebec City PQ, Canada * Tom Neilson 1:250/710, Toronto ON, Canada * Jim Nikolich, 1:250/701, Toronto ON, Canada Kevin O'Malley, 1:228/4, Grand Rapids MI, U.S.A. Wayne Parrish, 1:308/20, Alamagordo NM, U.S.A. * John Rafuse, 1:259/1, Mississuaga ON, Canada Mike Shepard, 1:231/120, Indianapolis IN, U.S.A. Steve Shapiro, 1:382/35, Austin TX, U.S.A. Phil Thompson, 1:250/503, Toronto ON, Canada Bill Vanglahn, 1:107/557, Dumont NJ, U.S.A. John Woolsey, 1:250/508, Toronto ON, Canada Alex Wyss, 2:302/801, Zurich ZU, Switzerland It is to these people that SysNL owes much of its success. Please help them out by supporting them. In this way can we can perpetu- ate the vast numbers of helpful sysops in many different networks who think nothing of expending time and money helping others. ===>>> Constellation Software, 1:250/714. <<<===